Suspect in Times Square blast timed assault for maximum impact.NEW YORK — The suspect in an attempted terror attack near Times Square has told investigators that he specifically timed the assault to coincide with the Christmas season for the greatest possible impact — lashing out in the name of the Islamic State, a law enforcement official said Monday.
The official, who is not authorized to comment publicly while the investigation is ongoing, said Akayed U...

Southern California braces for high winds over weekend, threat of more wildfires.Firefighters battling a half-dozen fires that have raged in Southern California this week braced Saturday for a weekend of high winds that could trigger more rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity in the dry, tinder-box conditions.
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for parts of San Diego county, with the strongest winds expected in the mountains and inland valleys...

Fire losses in San Diego, Riverside counties push toll total to 500 structures.LOS ANGELES — Two new wildfires broke out Thursday in southern California, destroying at least 22 structures between them and threatening hundreds more, presenting yet another hurdle for overstretched fire crews.
With a new assessment of damage from the largest fire burning in Ventura County, the toll from the fires since Monday is now at least 500 structures, putting it on par with some of the...

Massive smoke plumes from southern California fires can be seen from space.Massive plumes of smoke from wildfires raging in southern California were captured in a NASA satellite image Tuesday.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite took the photo in the afternoon, as the Thomas fire in Ventura County destroyed more than 50,000 acres with help from fierce Santa Ana winds. Smoke streams can also be seen from the Creek and Rye...

Supreme Court deeply divided over gay wedding cake.WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appeared divided down the middle Tuesday over a Colorado baker's refusal to design a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, the latest test in the continuing legal battle between gay rights and religious expression.
In one of the most animated oral arguments the high court has held, justices on both sides peppered four lawyers with questions to illustrate how their d...

Metropolitan Opera investigates sex abuse claims against James Levine.New York's Metropolitan Opera says it has opened an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against the conductor James Levine.
Mr Levine, 74, was music director at the Met for 40 years before retiring for health reasons in 2016.
The New York Times said the claims were based on a 2016 police report in which a man accused Mr Levine of abusing him as a teenager in the 1980s.
The...

Trump-Russia: Michael Flynn admits lying to FBI.Ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn has pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about meetings with Russia's ambassador weeks before Donald Trump became president.
The charges were brought by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, as part of his inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.
Mr Flynn is the most senior member of the administration to be indicted....

House Committee takes up NRA-backed concealed carry bill.WASHINGTON — A key House panel is expected to pass legislation Wednesday to expand the rights of concealed carry permit holders — the National Rifle Association’s top legislative priority — as part of the first congressional action on gun legislation since this fall’s mass shootings.
The House Judiciary Committee will consider the “Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act” alongside separate, less contr...

VA failed to report 90% of potentially dangerous medical providers, GAO confirms.WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs failed to report 90% of potentially dangerous medical providers in recent years to a national database designed to prevent them from crossing state lines and endangering patients elsewhere, according to the Government Accountability Office.
The watchdog’s conclusions in the report to be released Monday confirm findings of a recent USA TODAY invest...

Weinstein aftermath: All the men accused of sexual misconduct.Since the allegations of sexual abuse by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein surfaced on Oct. 5, women have been stepping forward to publicly share their stories of sexual misconduct.
Although many of the accusations originally focused on Hollywood, men across industries including tech, business, politics and media are facing consequences for claims ranging from sexual harassment to rape.
Be...